Chance Meetings
by Inuma Asahi De
Summary: Years before Inuyasha was conceived, his father met his mother in one chance meeting. Charaters: Izayoi, Inu No Taisho, and Sesshoumaru. A One-Shot in Honor of Father's Day.


_Blanket Disclaimer: The writer does not own any characters created by Rumiko Takahashi but like everyone else wishes she did. All original characters or concepts are the author's Inuma Asahi De's._

_**A One Shot in Honor of Father's Day:**  
_

**Chance Meetings**

A light breeze flittered through a field of flowers in mid-spring, sending the small colorful petals and blades of tall grass into a light frenzy as they danced with the gentle wind; pinks, purples, blues, reds, and yellows all waltzing to the music of birds and the rustle of the forest. Outside of that field two men walked along its edge, neither seeming to care for the natural splendor that surrounded them but both still walking cautiously on the foot-warn path as if afraid to touch such tranquil beauty.

They were both tall and sturdy men with fine high cheek bones (although one was clearly more feminine than the other) and on those cheek bones were facial markings that were distinctly similar albeit also distinctly different. The first and taller of the two who was walking in front had markings of a jagged blue color, one for each side of his face, while the second and slightly shorter of the two walking behind had two markings per a cheek, all of which were a light purple color and smooth as if they had been painted on with only one short brush stroke needed for each individual one.

Their hair was the same way, distinctly similar in the fact that they both had the same astonishing silver color but alas distinctly different in the overall texture that the hair held. Where the older man's was choppy and masculine, held high above his head in a pony tail with clumpy bangs hanging over his eyes; the younger's was smooth and silky, refined and soft draping down his shoulders, back, and forehead like a kimono drapes over a woman's figure.

Their eyes, just like their markings and their hair, were similar but not completely the same, both had the same striking color, a dazzlingly gold that reflected light like a mirror reflects a face. But where the taller man's eyes were warm, almost gentle in a sense the opposite of his jaded looks, the younger's were narrowed appearing bored and indifferent but also swollen with hidden resentment that made his gentle features look hard and calculating.

Truly they were opposite in looks but similar in color and if it were not for that, then no one, demon or the like would have realized they were father and son.

The younger of the two men sighed, not wanting to be with the older at the moment, angry, frustrated, young and confused. He glanced at the tall man before him, studying his armor, taking it in as he chanced a glance at the three swords that rested along the man's back and side.

"_Tetsusaiga," _He thought as he looked at the sword on his father's left hip, studying the scabbard with intense eyes. "_The power to kill a hundred demons with a single swing."_ He glanced above it at the sword that also rested there._ "Tenseiga, it's mate, with the power to bring back a hundred lives." _He silently snorted, not caring for the power, he was far more interested in the power of the last sword, the one that rested between the man's shoulder blades and back._ "So'unga._" The boy thought as he licked his lips. "_The power of hell_."

His eyes stayed glued to that sword, his palms itching with interest, with want, with desire.

"_When will you let me wield them, Chichiue?_" He thought as he glanced away from the sword to look at the back of his father's head. He knew better than to ask the question out loud, his father had already made it known that he was in fact still far too young to wield such overwhelming power.

He narrowed his eyes in annoyance, he was over two hundred years old, he had every right to wield those swords now! He was old enough, he knew how to fight, he had been trained by the best after all and yet—his father said he was still too arrogant to wield such power, still too demanding.

"_This is no light matter, Sesshoumaru,"_ His father had told him the last time he asked. "_These weapons are the most powerful of their kind, before you can wield them you must respect them, which obviously you don't_."

Sesshoumaru involuntarily flinched at the memory, he had been humiliated by his father's words, absolutely humiliated not humbled as his father had wished. He grumbled to himself slightly but let it go in favor of glaring at his father's back. Anger building in him as he clutched his fist. His father was a miserable fool who thought so little of him that he wouldn't even give Sesshoumaru the benefit of the doubt and train him to use the swords, respect the swords. Instead, his father and he were wandering aimlessly, patrolling boundaries that were better left to be watched by sniveling pups.

He signed, huffed really, the sound drawling his father's unwanted attention.

"Is there something wrong, Sesshoumaru?" The father asked without turning around.

He glared at the man hating the way he drew out his name, stressing each syllable as if mocking it. "Is there a reason we're out here?" He questioned snidely (although the pitch of his voice hardly changed) looking away from his father out at the field, pretending it was far more interesting than anything his father had to say.

"For the millionth time Sesshoumaru," The older man in front of him sighed and rolled his eyes.  
"We're here because we have to patrol the boarder."

Sesshoumaru clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Can't one of your generals do that?" He questioned hotly, although his voice still did not change from his normal bored tone, only the ears of his father could really make out the difference between his normal speech and his speech now.

The demon lord paused not saying a word as he squared his shoulders and continued to walk ahead, his steps heavy with annoyance. "One day you will be the lord of these lands, on that day you will have to know how to take care of them." He began his voice firm but calm. "We do not know how much longer I might live—,"

"Chichiue!" Sesshoumaru interrupted, his voice changing for the first time, sounding almost patronizing. "Don't talk as if you're going to die, you've got thousands of years left in you." The boy told him before whispering darkly under his breath. "And you would never do me the curtsy of dying young." It was debatable if he meant his words or not.

The Inu no Taisho stopped walking, his strong posture diming as he turned, looking at his son with tired eyes. "I know you're angry Sesshoumaru but that's no reason—."

"Angry?" Sesshoumaru interrupted, wanting to cross his arms over his chest in defiance but equally unwilling to give the older man the satisfaction. "I'm not angry."

His father sighed, his face drawn in a dry line. "Could a fooled me."

Sesshoumaru turned up his nose in distaste, his face contorting into a barely noticeable young and arrogant frown, his gold eyes growing darker with his own revulsion to his father's words.

"Son," His father started again his expression almost pleading. "This is about your Okaa-sama isn't it?"

And the truth came out.

"Don't talk about Hahaoya." Sesshoumaru snapped using the much ruder term as his eyes flashed with anger, true anger unhidden and blunt. "You have no right!"

"I have every right," His father fired back, his expression one of being tired, as if he had had this conversation many times before, in fact he had. "I was mated to the woman, after all."

"Well you aren't anymore are you?" Sesshoumaru fired back his temper flaring, his insecurities and hurt impossible to hide from the man before him. He had often tried but he never seemed to succeed, his father like any good father could read him like a book.

Inutaisho groaned at the words, counting in his head to keep his calm. "_Remember_ _the boy is young and hurting_," He told himself as he popped his neck eyeing the tense teenager with a deep frown. "I knew you were angry." He muttered to himself as he watched the boy, he was so young, just barely two hundred, just barely coming out of adolescence and it showed—it showed when he spoke, in his facial expressions, in his tone, in his very spirit. "Sesshoumaru," he started slowly again. "I've explained this before, your Okaa-sama and I just—we didn't want to be mated anymore."

Sesshoumaru glared at his words. "You were the one that didn't want to be mated anymore, Chichiue." He finished, spitting out the parental title harshly.

Inutaisho cringed, only Sesshoumaru could make Chichiue sound like a curse word. "She didn't either." He pressed losing some of his calm as he growled slightly in the back of his throat, commanding submission from his pup in front of him. Other than an awkward shifting of Sesshoumaru's feet it appeared the boy chose to ignore the demonic command standing his ground instead.

Inutaisho bit the inside of his cheek hard when Sesshoumaru refused to submit, his instincts telling him to beat the boy into submission but his fatherly heart stopping him, unwilling to hurt his pup. Instead he took deep breaths, decreasing his growl to a gentle suggestion that seemed to make Sesshoumaru even more defiant.

The teenage boy growled back testing, pushing boundaries, Inutaisho barked once his voice commanding enough to make Sesshoumaru stop his own growl and back down, refusing to make eye contact as his sign of submission.

Relieved Inutaisho started to speak once again, "Sesshoumaru, our mateship was a contract, we completed the terms of it so we annulled it." He began to explain gruffly albeit in a gentle way. "As the strongest two in the clan we produced a child and raised him. When you were old enough we broke off the mating in favor of being—," He searched for the right word, his mouth hanging opened in thought—he wanted to say happy, after all he was far happier without her but to say that in front of her pup might be a little much. "—alone."

"I thought our clan mated for life," Sesshoumaru spoke, his voice calm and monotone once again, sounding almost bored. "Some joke that was."

"We do mate for life," Inutaisho told him as he ran a hand though his hair slowly. "But only when we find our true mate. Inukimi was not my true mate and I was not hers, we were," His eyes darted back and forth, from Sesshoumaru to the field of wildflowers to the trees. "We were just powerful—," He looked directly at Sesshoumaru. "And we knew we would produce a powerful child, produce you."

Sesshoumaru blinked a few times as if surprised by his father's words before the anger and hatred appeared back on his face, this time clearly visible to anyone family or not. "So I was just the child of convenience." He snarled, hurt and anger coming off of him in waves. "Your mating was just to produce a child of power." Sesshoumaru smirked but his face looked more pained than conceded. "I'm nothing more to you than a powerful heir."

His father looked down away from him bringing a hand to his face rubbing his temples. "Sesshoumaru that's not true."

"Look me in the eyes and tell me that!" Sesshoumaru roared, something that he had honestly never done.

It even caused the Inu no Taisho to listen and look up at him, look into his eyes just as his son had asked and what he saw almost disturbed him. His son looked pain, looked hurt, looked panicked. The boy who was always calm even during the moment of his birth, the boy who was collected even during his first battle, the boy who was as stone cold as his mother, the boy who never yelled, never got angry, never was really anything other than indifferent, was looking at him like he was about to fall apart. The stone cold rock that was Sesshoumaru was cracking because he knew the truth.

Sesshoumaru had been bore to be the most powerful leader that the western lands had ever seen, the child of the two most powerful dog demons in existence. He was a child of convenience, a child forced upon parents who really didn't want a child together but that didn't mean that they—he—didn't love his son because he did, more than anything, Sesshoumaru was his whole world but how do you explain that to a boy so young and vulnerable? How do you tell him that even if he was unwanted, he was loved?

"_I can't lie to him_." The man told himself as he stared at his son, trying to find the words. "_I can't lie to that face but what do I say_?" He gulped preparing himself. "Sesshoumaru," He started searching for words but was cut off before he could even try.

"Save it." Sesshoumaru mumbled as he turned walking towards his father, his back hunched only momentarily before he rolled his shoulders, squaring them, brushing passed Inutaisho appearing calm if not a little agitated. His father knew better. "I don't want to her your lies anyway."

Inutaisho closed his eyes wishing there was something he could do to ease the boys pain, to make Sesshoumaru understand that he was loved and wanted but dealing with a teenage pup was not exactly easy. Sesshoumaru had made up his mind and it was impossible for Inutaisho to make him think otherwise. Sighing he started to follow the boy his eyes not able to look at him fully, choosing to stare out at the opened field instead of at his son's back.

It really was a beautiful field, covered with flowers of every color he could imagine and the breeze, light and airy, was cool on his hot face—an added bonus. He smelled the air, taking in the scent of peace and calm, the smell of flowers almost choking any other smells he might have been able to take in, but he didn't mind. It was nice, nice to smell something that was sweet and whimsical instead of blood and death or the smell of anger coming from his son.

His ears twitched on the side of his head, an abnormal exploit catching him off guard as a strange sound came to them. The sound of crying, soft and faint, carried on the breeze from who only knew how far away. Startled, he stopped moving, his ears straining to hear where the almost silent sound was coming from. Confused he stepped into the field, moving among the brightly colored flowers as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Up ahead of him Sesshoumaru turned and looked back at his father, his eyebrows knitted together confused by the man's sudden departure from the path. "Chichiue?" He called for his father but the man only waved him off as he tilted his head to the side, closing his eyes, listening.

After a moment he opened them, pursing his lips confused as he glanced over at his son. "Sesshoumaru, do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Crying." Inutaisho told him as he looked away turning his attention back on the field. "It sounds like a little pup."

Sesshoumaru raised one eyebrow, as if to say 'why should I care' before he sighed heavily and complied with the unvoiced command to help. Tilting his head towards his father he frowned deeply, his ears picking up the soft cry as well. It didn't sound like an infant pup, in fact it sounded more like a pup that was at least five or six summer's old. An adolescent pup as it were. Stepping off the path just as his father had, he entered the field, his movement disturbing a few birds that were roosting there among the wildflowers.

They squawked and panicked, taking to the air in a rush of feathers and shit causing both men to lose focus as they ducked to stay out of the way of the impromptu flight.

"Couldn't have checked first could you?" Inutaisho mumbled more to himself than anything but Sesshoumaru unfortunately heard.

"It's not like I can smell them Chichiue." He shot back snidely as he watched the birds finally move out of sight, now hidden by the trees of the nearby forest.

Inutaisho resisted the urge to say something back, knowing it was useless to argue with the boy. He sighed heavily before turning away from his son, looking out at the field instead, his ears, although human like, turning slightly on the side of his head to pick the sound of crying back up—he heard nothing. "Can you hear it Sesshoumaru?"

"I don't hear anything." Sesshoumaru told his father as his sharp eyes studied the landscape looking for any sign of a pup or even a disturbance in the grass. He saw none.

"Neither do I." His father agreed as his own sharp eyes reviewed the landscape. Tilting his head, he sniffed the air slightly attempting to locate a scent. "Damn," He cursed underneath his breath before he let out a long low sigh, the flower's smell was just too strong. "It's useless, I can't smell a thing over the smell of fucking flowers."

Sesshoumaru shrugged but didn't disagree as he looked around one last time before turning and walking back to the path. "Let's go Chichiue, this is pointless."

Inutaisho looked around one more time, his eyes taking in every flower petal, every tree, every leaf, every shadow, nothing alerted him to a presence nearby. "Poor pup." He whispered his heart reaching out to the mysterious cry. "_I hope you're safe."_

He turned around intending to walk back on the path, back along his way, only to stop when he felt something grab his hakama leg. Unafraid or perhaps to bold to jump from the slight brush he looked over his shoulder and then down at the source of the tug only to freeze when he was met with the sight of giant watery chestnut brown eyes framed by jet black flowing hair, two turfs of which were cut short just in front of little human ears.

He stared, his eyes fixated on the small child before him, no higher than his knee, her little hand holding onto his pants legs with milky white delicate un-worked fingers that he could just barely see from the edge of her elegant kimono, the kimono of a mini noblewoman. It was white with pink Sakura blossoms on light brown branches that intertwined around her arms and small frame, as if the tree was growing up her body.

It was far too beautiful for a child and yet, she looked absolutely adorable in it. Like a small princess, the tiniest and most charming one he had ever seen. She was simply the cutest, sweetest looking child he had ever laid eyes on, no questions asked. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out, an action that actually surprised him.

"Um," She squeaked her voice sounding like a wind chime, as she brought her hand away from him, holding it in front of her with her other hand coming up to meet it, the fingers worrying together as more tears formed in those deep chocolate brown eyes.

He smiled despite himself, his love of children overcoming him as he took her in. Slowly, he knelt down in front of her, going to one knee so he could look her in the eye. "Hello." He said simply as he gave her his gentlest smile. "My name is Inutaisho, what's yours?"

The little girl blinked rapidly, the tears in her eyes overflowing from the action causing him to smile even wider as he reached out and wiped the tears from her pale cheek.

"It's okay." He told her soothingly, her eyes widened as if not believing he would do such a thing. "I won't hurt you."

She nodded bringing her own hand to her face to wipe at the tears, her skin blotchy from the salt hitting her fair facade. "I'm—Izayoi." She told him, her voice so soft that even with his superior hearing it was hard for him to catch.

"Izayoi-dono." He repeated, adding the respectful endearment for her benefit to make her feel more comfortable.

The little girl's eyes lit up at the kind address, her whole face bright with the smile that soon graced it. Inutaisho smiled in return, she was cute, sweet little thing that she was.

Behind him Sesshoumaru stepped into the field once again, his eyes gazing at his father's hunched form with curiosity. "Chichiue who are you talking to?" He inquired, his voice actually sounding interested, a far cry from his normally bored demeanor.

Inutaisho turned looking over his shoulder at his son, his golden eyes charming as they reflected the sun. "Why I'm talking to Izayoi-dono." He told his son gingerly as he looked back at the little girl, trying to give her a smile he hoped was reassuring. "She was just about to tell me why she's crying."

"Oro?" The little girl blinked at him rapidly, her large eyes confused. "No I wasn't." She told him with no fear as she tilted her head to the side, her black hair shifting with her movements like water in a sea.

Inutaisho felt his mouth open slightly if only for a minute as he took in the girls words. "Well—," He started to speak but stopped when nothing came to him quickly.

Sesshoumaru, amazed that a child had said such a thing to his father moved closer coming to stand just close enough that he could see the child over his father's head. "She's human!" He exclaimed as he took in the dark hair and dark eyes, traits that were typical of humans. "Chichiue we don't have time to waste on a human runt."

"Hush Sesshoumaru." His father reprimanded harshly as he stood to his full height. "This is part of patrolling your lands," he motioned to the small girl "Helping out defenseless children."

"Demon children, perhaps," Sesshoumaru pressed as he raised one hand up to flick at the child in distaste. "But not humans. Leave it, it will either be found by its kind or become food for one of ours."

The little girl gasped at the words, the scent of tears amazingly overwhelming the flowers as she started to bawl.

"Now look what you did!" Inutaisho groaned as he knelt back down beside the girl rubbing her head gently. "Don't worry Izayoi-dono," He told her quietly, "I won't let that happen, I promise."

He chose to ignore Sesshoumaru's long sigh from behind him.

"Do you mean it?" The little girl asked between hiccups, her large teary eyes looking up at him as if he was the only person in the world she could rely on.

Inutaisho gave her a small sincere smile and nodded his head. "Yes, I do."

"Chichiue!" Sesshoumaru called from behind him sounding frustrated to his father's ears, to the little girl the tone of his voice had not changed. "This is absurd."

Inutaisho frowned as he stood turning to look at his son, his eyes harsh and reprimanding. "What's absurd is that you'd leave a little pup to die instead of helping her!" He fired back his eyes glaring at his son.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "I'd help a demon pup any day but this whelp," He motioned to the small girl. "Is just another vermin."

"She's a child, Sesshoumaru." Inutaisho said exasperated with his son.

"She is a human spawn." Sesshoumaru corrected his expression almost mocking. "And I'll have no part in helping it."

"You're just like your Okaa-sama." Inutaisho shot back.

"I may get my looks from you Chichiue but thank Kami-sama I got her brain!" He fired back, his face full of contempt and anger.

Inutaisho didn't count this time, he didn't even bother to think as he full out snarled at his son, an angry solid command that actually made Sesshoumaru back away from him. Behind them the little girl continued to cry, scared, her legs unable to move as she sank to the ground on her knees, big crocodile tears swimming from her eyes.

Inutaisho felt his heart strings pull at the noise, wanting to comfort the little one badly but unable to as he stared at his son before him. He couldn't back down, not now, not when he was fighting to maintain his dominance over his son. The two stared into each other's eyes knowing the first to look away was submitting, knowing that it had to be done. Sesshoumaru had defied him one too many times today and as such he had to reinstate his father as the official alpha. Sesshoumaru had to show that he knew his place.

It didn't take as long as the Inutaisho thought it would, after only a minute or two Sesshoumaru looked away, baring his throat for his father to see. "Good." The older man told him firmly completely dropping the subject for now. "I'm going to help this girl, if you don't want to then go, I'll find you when she's safe."

Sesshoumaru's demeanor seemed to change then, his submission turning into contempt once again. "Fine!" He told his father with a huff before he turned around storming out of the field in the direction of the road yelling one last thing over his shoulder. "Don't bother coming to find me when you're done."

"Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru didn't reply, he didn't even glance in his father's direction, instead he just left, turning into a wave of light that his clan was known for, a form of travel that took most demons at least five hundred years to master. Sesshoumaru, gifted as he was, had learned the technique in only two.

Inutaisho let out a deep breath as he lowered himself back down to the ground, choosing to simply sit instead of knelling. The little girl was sniffling from her spot, her eyes covered by her small hands as she knelt on her knees clearly frightened and upset.

"It's okay." He told her gently as he reached forward, his clawed hand gently touching her cheek. "He's didn't really mean it, he's just—upset right now."

"Really?" The small child moved one hand to look at him before moving the other, looking around for the scary man who had been there, he was gone. Still sniffling she turned and looked back at Inutaisho, her chocolate eyes blinking as she adjusted her position until she was sitting properly on her knees, those irises never leaving him, staring at his own upturned knees as if she was too scared to look at his face. "Um," She started to speak but appeared to chicken out as she drew her lips into a thin line and clutched her kimono with tiny fingers.

"Yes," Inutaisho pressed as he lowered his head further attempting to look at the small girl's face. "What is it?"

"That man," She said with a gulp, her eyes darting upwards to look at him for only a moment before darting back down to his knee. "Was he your son?"

Inutaisho smiled despite himself and nodded. "Yes, he was."

"He was a demon?"

"I am too." He told her honestly, a small yet sad smile on his face as he thought of his son. "Are you scared of me?"

"No," She told him equally as honest as she dared to actually look him in the eye. "Should I be?"

"No." He told her firmly, shaking his head back and forth.

"Okay," She nodded as she spoke as if reaffirming her words. "Why—um—was he so mad?"

The Lord of the Western Lands didn't answer her right away as he looked down at his own knees, studying his pants legs closely, taking in the white hakama with the red trim, the same exact pattern that Sesshoumaru wore—the clothes worn by the ruling family so as to distinguish them from all other dog demons. "He was mad because—," He paused bringing a hand to his forehead, rubbing it as a headache settled above his temple. "Well, he's mad because his mother and I are—no longer together and that makes him upset."

The little girl tilted her head to the side, not understanding what he had just said in the least. "Did she die?"

His head shot up, his eyes widening, thinking the child meant he had killed her. "No!"

"Oh?" The little girl mumbled as she leaned her head downwards in thought. "Did she leave?"

Inutaisho took a deep breath dropping lower on the ground, crossing his legs, his heart sinking strangely. "Kind of." He told the little girl as images of his mate came to him.

She had been beautiful, absolutely stunning, any normal man would have considered himself lucky to even get the chance to touch her soft silky hair—he never had, he had never really wanted to. He had liked her, she was his friend, they did have things in common and he enjoyed their time together but not romantically, not lovingly. And there inlaid the problem, he had not loved her. He had liked her, he had been friends with her, they had a son together for crying out loud but—he had simply just not been in love with her.

He cringed at his own thoughts, love, love had nothing to do with mating in the end, love was something else entirely, something he would never have the privilege of knowing. It was an emotion that Inukimi too deserved to feel and even she had admitted that she hadn't felt romantic love for him either. But, alas, she had been happy in their relationship. She hadn't cared to have another child, but she had been happy as his mate. She could have lived with it, would have lived with it for a thousand more years but—he couldn't do that to her. He couldn't force her to stay by his side when neither of them really wanted to be together.

"I guess," He started up again as his thoughts drifted away. "I really was the one to leave—," He looked the little girl in the face. "No," He stopped himself as he processed what he had been thinking more clearly. Even if he had been the one to leave, the one who truly wanted out, he knew for a fact that she had been relieved when he had told her he was leaving her. She had wanted it too, even if she was willing to live without it. "We left each other."

The girl looked at him, her brown eyes narrowed with confusion. "So you both left and your son went with you?" She continued to question as she pointed towards the spot Sesshoumaru had been standing.

Inutaisho followed her finger, looking at the place Sesshoumaru had been, his heart aching for the son he had so badly hurt, the son that wouldn't listen, that didn't understand. "Yeah."

The young girl glanced at him her eyes wise with understanding beyond her few seasons. "It seems like he wanted to go with her instead?"

"Sometimes I wonder." He spoke softly not in the least bit realizing he was spilling the secrets of the royal family to the little girl in front of him, the thought really never crossed his mind.

"If he wanted to be with her instead," Izayoi continued mumbling slightly confused, her head tilting sweetly to the side again. "Then why did he come with you and not stay with her?"

"Um," This time it was his turn to mumbled. "Well, she—she didn't want him." He finally admitted to the small child, the truth hitting him hard. If Sesshoumaru knew the truth, that he had gone with his father because his mother wanted nothing more to do with a pup, then he would be devastated, even if he never showed how pained he was, it would kill him on the inside if he knew. In the end Sesshoumaru was just like any other pup who wanted to be loved, who wanted to be wanted.

"Why would his Okaa-sama not want her baby?" The little girl inquired as she moved to stand up, coming closer to him, two tiny hands resting on his giant knee.

"I don't know." He told her truthfully as he shook his head side to side slowly, looking at her with widening eyes. "_Why am I telling her any of this?" _He questioned himself as he looked into those deep tree bark eyes, they were timid but inquisitive, questioning but respectful, innocent but knowledgeable. "_Why can I talk to you pup, tell you everything, trust you, I don't even know you?"_ He found himself frowning but the look was not deep, not angry nor confused, it was simply a frown. He glanced at her appearance again, those eyes, that long soft looking hair, that exquisite kimono. "_You're_ _going to be a heartbreaker when you grow up_." He smiled before directing the conversation elsewhere. "Tell me, why are you out here all alone?"

"I'm lost." The girl told him as she looked around her at the field. "I was with Sukura-san and Koaru-san. They were talking and talking." She moved her hands in a big huff showing how displeased she had been. "It was boring but then I saw the field."

"And you stopped to pick flowers?" He inferred his eyes warming from her innocent story.

"Yes!" She exclaimed smiling, a smile that soon turned into a soft frown. "I made a flower ring for Hahaoya," She reached into her kimono sleeve producing the flower ring and showing it to him.

"That's very nice." He told her, smiling, she smiled back happily.

"Hahaoya will like it but—," she looked around confused. "I can't find Sukura-san anywhere and I don't know the way home alone." She continued to make a show of looking around standing on her tip toes, trying to look over the tall grass. "The grass is so high I can't even see."

Inutaisho nodded trying not to laugh, it was true, the grass and the flowers both were so tall they stood way above her small head. "I see, do you live in a village near here?"

"Um hm!" She told him excitedly, her head bobbing up and down with enthusiasm.

"Good, I'll take you there." He told her as he stood back to his feet.

The smile disappeared from her face, she blinked several times, seeming highly confused. "How? I don't know which way it is and you've never been there."

He tapped his nose, a smirk forming on his lips as he started to walk out of the field the small child following him in her tiny kimono, moving slowly because its length prevented her legs from moving any faster.

"Once we're away from those damn flowers, I'll be able to follow your scent back to where you came from." He told her as he emerged from the field stepping back onto the path, his sense of smell still muddled by the thousands of flowers but much better none the less.

Izayoi stepped from the field as well, her small frame so hindered by the heavy kimono that she was breathing heavy by the time she came to stand next to him. Inutaisho narrowed his eyes from the sound of her heavy intakes and slowly bent down so he was eye level with her. Reaching a clawed hand out he placed it on her little chin bringing her eyes to look at him.

"Izayoi-dono." He spoke gently, the little girl's eyes widening as she took in the sound of his soft caring voice. "Are you alright?"

She nodded unable to do anything else as she looked into his golden eyes, her small heart picking up in her chest as her face flushed, not from heat or her lack of breath but from a feeling she was too young to understand. "I'm fine Inutaisho-sama."

He nodded and stood straight back up inhaling the air around him, trying to distinguish the scents that hit his nose. The first was easy: the smell of flowers, the second was a smell he had known since its inception: the smell of Sesshoumaru that still clung to the wind, but the third scent he smelt was different: human. It was the smell of a pond, a creek or a stream the smell of fresh water, the smell of clean, the smell of blooming lilies, the smell of an old willow tree, one so old that it's branches were long enough to brush over the water by which it rested, causing ripples to appear, like tiny waves. He turned, his eyes landing on the small girl before him, his nose twitching with the smell of her in his nose.

It was all he could smell now and that disturbed him to no end. She was just a little girl, her smell should not be that overpowering yet. Shaking his head he turned away deciding it best to ignore the strange way the scent seemed to permeate the air.

Focusing, he scented the world around him, looking to see if she had been on this road before. She had, he could tell instantly, the scent was dominating the air in front of him, not just behind him. "Come along Izayoi-dono," He told her as he looked back over his shoulder. "I know which way to go."

She nodded and took a step forward only to lose her balance as the long kimono caught on her small foot. He quickly moved, rushing to her before she could fall to the ground ruining the beautiful silk and pulled her upwards into his arms, cradling her gently like a baby."Are you okay, Izayoi-dono?"

"Yes," She whispered softly as she blushed, embarrassed that she had tripped.

"Why do you wear such elaborate clothes?" He mumbled as he started to walk not releasing her from his hold.

The slight blush of embarrassment left her face and she looked up at him a sweet frown on her lips. "I have too."

"Why?"

"Chichiue says," She told him as she pouted. "It's because a hime-sama has to wear these kinds of clothes."

"Hime-sama?" He repeated surprised, she took it as a legitimate question.

"Yes, yes," The girl confirmed. "Izayoi is hime-sama of Musashi."

The Lord's mouth opened surprised and shocked, she was the princess of all of Musashi, a rather large region that rested in his domain. He knew her father, he had met her mother, he had been in war with them in a constant power struggle for years. He gulped, this was bad—this was more than bad, this was horrible. He couldn't take her home, he would cause so much political damage if he came into the palace of the Lord of Musashi with his young daughter in clawed hands. No one, no human, no ruler would believe that his intentions had been innocent.

So what should he do? He looked down at her as he walked, his eyes unfocused yet still able to make out her every small feature. "_She has to go home._" He knew it was the truth. "_But—I can't be seen. I could drop her close to the palace._" He shook his head not liking the idea, what if no one found her and she wandered off only to get lost again? What if a demon followed them and took her as soon as he left her alone? "_I could watch from a distance and make sure she goes the right way._" He reasoned but shook the thought off, he wouldn't be able to adequately protect her from a distance and besides what if something happened with another human nearby? That could be even worse. "_What to do?"_

He looked away from her into the distance, he could see the castle sitting high on a nearby hillside, loaming no more than three hours away if he walked slow—five minutes if he moved fast but she was far too small and fragile to move at such speeds, he would have to move her slowly, maybe not over the course of three hours but at a pace that would surely have them there sometime just before dusk. He blinked at the realization.

"_If I wait till its dark, I could sneak her in._" And he could, he could sneak her in under the cover of darkness, put her directly in the palace walls and no one would be the wiser, no one would see him at all. Smiling to himself happy for his plan he glanced at the little girl prepared to tell her everything so she wouldn't slip up and reveal who had brought her.

He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight that met his golden eyes, however. "She's asleep!" He spoke in a hushed whisper then frowned. She really was asleep, her breathing was even, her large eyes were closed, her hand was hanging limp while the other rested on her stomach. His face went completely soft as he took her in. "Sweet child, you must have worn yourself out with worry." He whispered before starting to walk again, she didn't need to know the plan this second, it could wait.

-break-

Izayoi yawned slightly, her eyes feeling heavy as she reached a hand up to rub them tiredly.

"I see you're awake."

Her eyes snapped opened quickly at the sound of the strange voice and she blinked rapidly trying to help her sleep worn eyes focus. She was met with the sight of a gentle masculine face with a strong firm chin and bright golden eyes. For a moment she found herself mesmerized, hypnotized as it were by his handsome features. She blinked a few more times, the realization that that face was attached to a body and that body had arms which were currently attached to her, causing her cheeks to light up a bright red. "Ano?"

"You were asleep for a while Izayoi-hime." Inutaisho told her trying to make his voice as soft as possible.

"Inutaisho-sama?" She whispered as the memories came back to her of the field and the tall man and his son. Quickly, she looked around herself her eyes taking in the changed scenery. They were no longer near the large flower field but were instead on a forest path, one she recognized. "We're almost home?"

"Yes," Inutaisho nodded his head as he continued to walk down the dirt path. He had carried her sleeping form for the better part of almost two hours while she slept. It was a duty he hadn't really minded in the long run. She had merely slept quietly as he walked, giving him time to think leisurely as he rarely found time to.

"It's getting dark." The little girl noticed as she pressed herself more firmly against him, her young eyes filled with fear as she studied the twilight world of the setting sun. It was a beautiful terror, the sight of the sun setting in a haze of rosy, pinkish, orange hues and the knowledge that when it set the world would change. "We should get home quick." She told him fearfully as she imagined the monsters from the stories, the demons that ate small child who stayed up and out past their bedtimes.

"Don't worry." Inutaisho told her with a slight chuckle, already well aware of her current state of fear. It didn't take a genius to know that humans feared the night when the lower level demons came out to feed. "No demons will dare come near me."

She turned her big brown eyes towards him the watery tears that had started collecting there out of fright dissipating as she contemplated his words. "Are they scared of you?"

He raised an eyebrow at her words and frowned. "That's one way to put it, I guess, yeah they're scared of me."

"Why are they scared of you?" She asked as she looked up at him with pure curiosity.

He glanced down at her and shrugged, the action causing her to grab hold of him tightly for fear of falling. "Sorry." He mumbled as he adjusted his hold on her, making sure she felt secure. It had been a long time since he had carried a child this small. Thinking back on it now, he had probably only really carried Sesshoumaru once or twice as a small pup, the boy had been too independent for anything else. He frowned at the memory but shook his head otherwise, "_I wish Sesshoumaru had been a girl, girls seem so much easier_." He grumbled internally before he continued. "They're scared of me because—," He thought for a moment. "I'm stronger than they are."

She pouted her lips in thought. "So they're afraid you'll kill them?" She concluded as she looked up at him waiting for an answer.

He nodded his head for her bluntly, his attention fading from her to a few odd noises he could hear in the woods.

"Inutaisho-sama?" She whispered when she noticed he had gone still, his eyes searching the landscape around him without moving his head.

"Shh." He shushed her softly as he edged away from the forest path silently and quickly, ducking behind a rather large bush when he came to the side of the road. "Try not to make a sound." He whispered into her ear as he held her close to his body, pressing her head into his chest, shielding her carefully while being mindful of his armor. His ears twitched on the sides of his head slightly, picking up on the sound of footsteps. "_They're close_." He realized as he pushed himself farther back into the woods, his nose sniffing the air absently. "_Human_?"

"We be'er find a 'lace for the 'ight!" Came the sound of a man's voice.

"O' yeah," Another voice also male sounded with a hiccup. "We 'hould build a 'ire too, you know, it's ki'd a—chilly."

Inutaisho frowned darkly and took a deep breath, the frown deepening as he did, "_Sake_." He realized with a snort, the men were drunk, extremely drunk. "_How come human's can't hold their liquor?_" He groused as he watched the two men from the shadows. They were stumbling down the road slowly, laughing and hollering, hanging onto each other so they wouldn't fall.

Izayoi made a squeaking sound, pulling her head away from his chest so she could look through the brush to see the people now walking down the path in the direction they had just come from. "They're guards." She whispered before looking back at Inutaisho, her eyes seemingly pleading. "Chichiue's guards."

Inutaisho frowned as he took in her expression, trying to read it but finding it rather difficult. She looked to be somewhere between panicked and scared. "Izayoi-hime." He whispered faintly.

She bit her lip before whispering again. "I don't want to go with them."

He blinked and tried very hard not to laugh. "Why would I make you go with them?"

Her head snapped up and her large brown eyes grew larger. "They're Chichiue's guards, they'd be able to take me back but I don't like them."

He shook his head slowly back and forth, an almost smirking smile on his face. "Izayoi-hime, I would never make you go with those bumbling drunk asses."

She gasped at his choice of words and brought two small hands to her face to hold in her laughter causing the sound to be tiny and moose-like. "Inutaisho-sama that's not a nice thing to say."

He grinned, part of him feeling pride that he had made her laugh and smile as he had. "I'm not a nice person."

She frowned, the look on her face one of silent contemplation, her brown eyes far wiser than any eyes he had ever seen. "You seem nice." She said softly. "If you were mean," She looked away, the two small locks of black hair that framed her face, swishing prettily against her rose colored cheeks. "I wouldn't be alive right now, would I?"

Inutaisho didn't say anything, but he knew exactly what she was implying. Had he been a mean demon, a bad demon, a Sesshoumaru demon—he would have left her for dead or better yet been the one to kill her. But that wasn't him—yes humans annoyed him, they were arrogant and stupid creatures, they often got themselves into trouble with their weakness but they were still alive. They had demon qualities, intelligent demon qualities. They could think and feel, reason and love, they were capable of great things and held great potential for both good and evil; their every quality and potential easily transferable to the demon condition. The human race had possibilities, this he could not deny. He would never hurt one unless provoked and he knew for a fact he would never hurt their offspring, especially this small innocent looking girl.

He gazed at her openly, not afraid to show that he was watching her, studying her features. She was so sweet looking, a small innocent child who knew nothing of pain nor lose. She was just pure, the essence of good—the firmest example of human potential. He couldn't hurt her, not even if he tried.

"I guess," He finally whispered to Izayoi who had waited patiently in his arms for him to speak. "I am a little nice," He wanted to rub the back of his head but couldn't because of his arms current occupation. "But only to you." He added hoping to make her smile once again.

And she did smile at his words, her face lighting up with her youth and virtue. "I guess I'm special." She reasoned playfully causing him to frown.

"_Special?_" He thought briefly but shook off the feeling before he could let it enter his psyche. Glancing back to the path he scented the air momentarily, determining by sight, smell, and sound that the drunks had stumbled much farther down the road, a good safe distance away. "We're not too far from the village now Izayoi-hime." He said as he started back towards the road.

"Oh?" The little girl whispered as she looked around herself, taking in her current whereabouts. She knew the road well, it was often used when her family traveled to some of the other villages in the nearby regions and this particular section of road was not far at all from the edge of the village—maybe twenty minutes walking slowly as they were. "I'm almost home."

"Yes." Inutaisho agreed with a nod. "Your scent's getting much stronger now."

Glancing up at the tall demon she nodded. Her beautiful giant eyes blinking slowly as she took in his broad chin. "That's how you knew where to go, right?"

He nodded his head as he looked ahead, his sharp eyes able to make out the sight of the village and the sight of her father's fortress as it were. He had been there many times in the course of his life, although its ruler had always been different. He sighed—he had met Izayoi's father a few times, when the man was a boy and when he had reached adulthood and never once had the man liked him because of his heritage and also his claim to the land. Technically, although human's ignored the issue, all of this land belonged to him. His territory extended far and wide, the whole of the western half of Japan along with some of the eastern territories surrounding the Edo region. He owned it all—but humans didn't seem to understand demon claims. They believed that their territories were the true ones and denounced the demon ones entirely.

Inutaisho practically snorted from the idea. Humans could certainly be foolish creatures. The thought did catch him off guard when he heard the little girl in his arms start to hum slightly. He recognized the melody vaguely, having remembered hearing it somewhere once before, "_Sakura Sakura?_" He thought to himself but let the thought pass as her small voice drifted to his ears actually making them twitch. Keeping his eyes on her, he watched as she continued to hum, nervously, her eyes shifting this way and that as she looked for any sign of danger absently—as she probably had been taught to do since birth.

After all, humans were fragile creatures especially their young. Clearing his throat he adjusted her slightly so she was more firmly protected against his chest, an attempt to make her feel more at ease and opened his mouth to speak to her once again. "Well Izayoi-hime, we're almost there—um—," He actually stuttered when she stopped humming and looked up at him, her big bold eyes so focused on him that he actually felt edgy talking to her. "I think its best that the people of the palace aren't aware—of—my presence."

"Why not?" She asked—of course she would ask.

He sighed and looked ahead towards the castle that was getting closer by the minute. "Your father and myself don't exactly—well—he doesn't like me very much and it might be bad if he knew I had his daughter."

"But you're bringing me back," She pointed out smartly. "I would have been lost without you."

A sense of smugness built in his heart at her words and he actually allowed himself a moment of conceited pride. "I know that Izayoi-hime as do you," He gave her a reassuring smile. "But I highly doubt your father would agree."

She pursed her lips and furrowed her brows. "But—."

"No buts," He cut her off with an apologetic look on his face. "This is all politics Izayoi-hime, so there's nothing I can do to change it."

"Politics." The young girl repeated slowly, a slight dawning of understanding in her saddened voice. "I see, so—," She looked off in the distance towards her home, her eyes dark and almost lonely looking. "I guess I won't see you again then."

_"_Probably not," He answered without pause, knowing that he shouldn't think about her words or the far off pained look in her young eyes. He knew those eyes all too well anyway. "_The look of a Hime._" He told himself with a large frown. "_Yes, the look of a woman who will never know happiness_." He shook his head, it was something he had seen a million times. A girl destined to do what was right for her people over what was right for her heart and her own happiness. What was even sadder is that this young child wasn't even aware of the thought or the reality just yet but she was already aware of the loneliness that would be forever settled in her heart.

He pitied her for that but at the same time he understood it as well. To marry for your country, for your people, for your kingdom. To stand before the world and say you love someone even though both you and that someone knows it is a lie—he understood that pain and unlike himself this young girl would probably never be able to escape it.

"I'm sorry." He whispered without preamble as he came to a stop on the forest edge. It was way past dusk now, the area was almost blackened except for the torches of the villagers as they surrounded what looked to be a general on a horse, waiting for orders—no doubt orders to be given to a search party that was looking for the girl he was holding.

"Don't be." She replied, her words not the words of a child.

He blinked in surprise and looked at her small sad face.

"A hime-sama." She told him as she watched the search party begin to spread out, departing towards the woods. "Is born a hime-sama and she cannot change that." Her young voice sounded sad. "She lives the life she was born to live and she lives not for herself but for her people."

"Who told you that?"

"Okaa-sama."

His heart pulled tight at her words and he frowned deeply. "Izayoi-hi—," His voice froze and he suddenly found the honorific no longer honorable. "Izayoi-dono."

She made a cute squeaking noise and looked up at him in surprise. "-dono?"

"Yes." He told her firmly as he suddenly set her down back on her own two feet before kneeling once again, like he had in the field so many miles away. "Remember," He whispered faintly as he glanced up towards the human's that were so very close to where he stood. "To me, you are just a normal little girl, you don't have to be a hime-sama."

Her eyes glistened and she smiled faintly. "I can't change it."

"No," He agreed softly. "It can't be changed but you can for a moment escape it. If you ever need to escape it, think of me Izayoi-dono." And with that he jumped into a nearby tree startling the poor girl as she looked around trying to find him but her human eyes were not quick enough to have seen his fast motion.

"Izayoi-hime!" Someone yelled behind her and she turned once again startled.

"Yes?" She called faintly and there was a loud cry of relief from the woman running towards her in a cheap kimono, an old one, a servant's one.

"Oh thank kami." The woman dropped to her knees, throwing her arms around the small girl, holding onto her tightly as she buried her face in the small girls hair. "We were so worried Izayoi-hime, when we couldn't find you."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you."

"No no—child—," The woman started to stroke the little girl's hair only to freeze and pull her hand away, becoming formal and proper almost instantly. "I mean—um Izayoi-hime. It is not your fault but my own carelessness." The woman bowed her head as she knelt on the ground. "Please forgive me."

"Sakura-san—."

"You're Okaa-sama and Otou-sama have been so worried." The woman continued on as she stood and picked the young princess up easily holding her tight as if afraid she might slip out of sight once again. "Oh—I'm so relieved, however did you find your way back?"

From the trees, still watching closely Inunotaisho frowned and waited for the young girl to respond, hoping she had taken his words to heart.

At first, she actually didn't. She looked around from the woman's arms into the dark words, her eyes searching him out but blind to finding him. "I don't know." She finally said in a small voice. "Perhaps kami-sama wanted me to come and showed me the way."

"Praise them," The woman said and nodded, accepting the lie easily. "All kami-sama's should know how grateful I am—how grateful everyone will be."

Izayoi nodded but said nothing as the woman started off towards the castle, "I found her!" She yelled loudly and there was an explosion of talking and calling and questions from the people who were currently rushing towards her amazed the princess had been found so quickly.

Inunotaisho nodded at the sight and quietly leapt away into the night, his nose picking up the scent of Sesshoumaru instantly. Really, it had been there a while, he had known it was there for a while. The boy had never gone far, probably having realized that even he was better off close to his father after he had cooled off. Even though Sesshoumaru was amazingly skilled for his age, he was still only two hundred years old and although stubborn he was not dumb.

Within moments the father reached the son, his eyes landing on the boy as he relaxed against a tree, refusing to even acknowledge that his father had entered the clearing he had been waiting in.

"Sesshoumaru?" He spoke gently, with fatherly understanding. "Let's go."

Without a word, the young boy stood and walked to his father coming to stand at his side.

Inunotaisho nodded and shrugged before he turned to exit the clearing, preparing to once again start their patrol.

"Chichiue?" Sesshoumaru suddenly spoke his voice bored as always.

The Inunotaisho stopped and turned, his eyes lighting on his only child and blinking slowly. "Yes?" He pressed gently as he watched the boy stare at the ground, his posture oddly hunched. "Seshsoumaru?"

"I—um—the gir," He stopped and mumbled something under his breath that his father actually didn't pick up before shrugging and rolling back his shoulders, his normal arrogant look coming back to his face. "I wish you wouldn't have taken so long. I'm sick of this already, I just want to get it over with so we can get home."

His father merely smiled, his expression soft as he looked at his young son, knowing what he was trying to say without being able to. "I understand," He told Sesshoumaru before continuing. "We'll move at a faster pace and be home in a month or so."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, the only sign of his disdain. "A month?"

"That's sooner than I originally anticipated." His father told him bluntly as he started to walk his pup following close behind moody and very young. He smiled at the action and briefly wondered if he had ever given his own father that much trouble, he highly suspected he had. Smirking he took a deep breath, the traces of the girls scent wafting over his nose, tickling his senses. "_She was a sweet pup." _He thought with a frown. _"I hope—I hope she grows up to find some happiness._" The thought trailed off and he glanced back at his son who was following begrudgingly. "I got the girl back alright." He mentioned abruptly, as if just now remembering his son's almost asked question.

"I don't care." The boy told him firmly in response, one long arm resting on his sword, the only one he was allowed to wear.

Inunotaisho shook his head softly at the blatant lie. He knew without having to question that Sesshoumaru did in fact care but was too stubborn to mention it. Still, he wouldn't push the boy more than he had to, he wasn't in the mood to deal with another bout for dominance between father and son. "I know," He replied with a well placed grunt. "I was just making conversation."

Sesshoumaru mumbled something obscene in reply but his father simply shrugged it off as they continued down the path: the older in front of the younger.

_End_

_Please Review_

**A/N:** I hope you liked this short one shot. It has actually been on my computer for a bit and I thought to myself as I was rereading it today that I might as well just post it. There is a second half but it is not yet completed. If I ever get a chance, I'll post the second half and make it into a two shot. For now, I hope this kept you entertained while waiting for the next chapter of Shikuro, which should be out by tomorrow 6/17/2012.

Thanks, Inuma Asahi De

**Sesshoumaru will seem OOC in this one-shot because I am portraying him as a younger man (teenager more or less), prior to his father's death. As such he will not necessarily be the cold Sesshoumaru we are used to because I think Sesshoumaru probably wasn't always that way but was made to be that way. As is evidenced by the way Rin is able to bring that characteristic out of him.


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